FIG. 1 shows a prior art microlaser system that includes a photovoltaic power source 105 for providing power via switch 115 to semiconductor microlaser 110 that is arranged in a forward-biased configuration.
When switch 115 is in an open condition, photovoltaic power source 105 is disconnected from microlaser 110, thereby placing microlaser 110 in an off state. However, when switch 115 is closed (as a result of a switch activation signal provided via line 116), photovoltaic power source 105 provides a voltage in the range of 1.5-2V to drive microlaser 110 into an on state and generate output laser beam 111.
The driving voltage (1.5-2V) required to turn on microlaser 110 is roughly ten times higher than what a single photo-voltaic cell can generate in an open circuit condition. Consequently, the prior art arrangement shown in FIG. 1 necessitates a more complex and expensive photovoltaic power source 105 incorporating multiple photovoltaic cells in a tandem arrangement. Furthermore, the manner in which semiconductor microlaser 110 is operated proves inefficient in terms of power consumption.